Categories
Cardiovascular
Diagnostics
Endocrinology
Health Insurance
Medical Devices
Mental Health
Nutrition
Oncology
Public Health
Sexual Health
Popular Articles

Providing New Hope For Childhood Hunger
A St. Louis-based team of plant and physician-scientists with a vision of eradicating malnutrition throughout the developing world today announced the formation of the Global Harvest Alliance (GHA), a humanitarian effort involving St. Louis Children"s Hospital, The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and Washington University School of Medicine. Though they share a commonality of purpose, each institution brings unique strengths and world-class leadership within their respective fields to bear on this global challenge.

GERD Patient Satisfaction Hinges On Medication Type And Physician Bedside Manner
Patient satisfaction with their medications and the quality of interactions with their doctor reflect the success of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) therapy, according to a new study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute.
News of the day
Massachusetts Hospital Sues State Over Cost Of Universal Care
"A hospital that serves thousands of indigent Massachusetts residents sued the state on Wednesday, charging that its costly universal health care law is forcing the hospital to cover too much of the expense of caring for the poor," according to the New York Times.
Oncology

Sleep Debt May Result From Watching Television Before Bedtime

According to a research abstract presented on June 8, at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, television watching may be an important determinant of bedtime, and may contribute to chronic sleep debt. The study included data from 21,475 people aged 15 or older who completed the American Time Use Survey between the years 2003 and 2006. The study examined the activities participants undertook two hours before and after bed time. It found that television viewing was by far and away the dominant pre-sleep activity, accounting for almost 50% of pre-bed time. According to the authors of the study, Mathias Basner, MD, MS, MSc, and David F. Dinges, PhD, of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia, they were surprised to find that watching television seemed to be the most important time cue for the beginning of the sleep period, rather than hours past sunset or other more biological factors. So, in fact, TV may make people stay up late, while alarm clocks make them get up early, potentially reducing sleep time below what is physiologically needed. Sleeping less than 7-8 hours daily impairs alertness and is associated with increased obesity, morbidity and mortality. Despite this fact, up to 40 percent of Americans sleep for less than the recommended time per night. "Given the relationship of short sleep duration to health risks, there is concern that many Americans are chronically under-sleeping due to lifestyle choices," said Dinges. Dr. Basner added that "According to our results, watching less television in the evening and postponing work start time in the morning appear to be the candidate behavioral changes for achieving additional sleep and reducing chronic sleep debt. While the timing of work may not be flexible, giving up some TV viewing in the evening should be possible to promote adequate sleep." Those who suspect that they might be suffering from a sleep disorder are encouraged to consult with their primary care physician or a sleep specialist at a sleep center accredited by the AASM. Abstract Title: The Time of Our Lives: Work, Sleep and Television Presentation Date: Monday, June 8 Category: Behavior, Cognition and Dreams Abstract ID: 1260 Kelly Wagner American Academy of Sleep Medicine


Add your comment:
Name:
Site address: http://
Your message:
Enter today\\\\'s date, 2 digits
(spam protection):

© Copyright 2009